Apparatus to feed superposed webs for seaming



April 96 B. HASELGRO VE T AL 1 3,

APPARATUS T0 FEED SUPERPCSED WEBS FOR- SEAMING Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Sheet of e A riljzz, 1969 I MASE'LGROVE ETAL 3,439,637

APPARATUS T0 FEED ,SUPERPOSED WEBS FOR SEAMING Filed Dec. 12. 1966 Sheet 3 o! 6 April 22, 1969 EL RQVE ET'AL 3,439,631

APPARATUS TO FEED SUPERPOSED WEBS FOR SEAMING Filed Dec. 12. 1966 Sheet 4 of s 'APPARATUS TO FEED SUPERPOSED WEBS FOR SEAMING Filed Dec. 12. 1966 Sheet 5 5r 6 April 22, 1969 HASELGROVE ET AL' 3,439,637

APPARATUS TO FEED SUPERPOSED WEBS FOR SEAMING Filed Dec. 12. 1966 Sheet 6 of s" United States Patent 3,439,637 APPARATUS TO FEED SUPERPOSED WEBS FOR SEAMING Bob Haselgrove, Ronald Dorsett, and Leonard Thomas U.S. Cl. 112-2 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for closing the toe portion of a ladys-stocking along a seam line of compound arcuate form comprising a pair of superposed clamps to grip the toe portion therebetween and carry said portion past a sewing machine, the clamps being a on a mounting for rotation of the clamps to carry the stocking past the sewing machine along one arcuate portion of the compound seam line and the mounting being on a carrier which moves the mounting to carry the stocking along another arcutae portion of the compound seam line, a common drive for selectively moving the mounting and/or carrier and a means for making such selection automatically according to the form of the seam line.

The invention concerns improvements relating to apparatus to feed webs in superposed relationship for seaming along a line of predetermined form. The webs may be of textile or any other suitable material, be seamed along a line either by sewing or in any other suitable manner; seaming herein means to join or unite along a line by sewing or otherwise; for example bands, strips, films or the like webs of thermoplastic synthetic resin material may be seamed by heat welding or ultrasonic welding. The webs may be initially separate, or may be constituted by the two sides of a flattened, form of tubular element. Thus, the invention has particular application to the closing of the toe portion of a ladys seamless stocking during manufacture by seaming together the opposite sides of the flattened' tubular toe portion according to a desired form of seam and thus toe shape, e.g., fish-month, an underfoot, or other form of seam; this applies equally to half hose, and the term stocking is used herein to cover halfhose.

The invention is particularly intended for a seam line of compound form meaning a seam line comprising at least two blending arcuate portions of different curvature.

Objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus to carry the superposed webs past a sewing or other seamer device in such a way as to achieve the predetermined form of seam line in a most effective manner, and to allow such apparatus to be readily adapted, by simple replacement of a small number of parts, to alternative forms of seam line as required for different production runs, e.g., of fish-mouth or of underfoot seams.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus to feed webs in superposed relationship for seaming along a line of predetermined form, comprising clamp means actuable to hold the webs in superposed relationship and drivable to feed the superposed webs past a seamer device, mounting means on which the clamp means is mounted and which is rotatable so that the clamp means is drivable to feed the webs past the seamer along a path ofone determined radius corresponding to one arcuate portion ofthe seam line, carrier means which rotatably carries the mounting means and which is pivotal so that the clamp means is drivable to feed the webs past the seamer along a "ice path-of another and different determined radius corresponding to another arcuate portion of the seam line, a common drive means for selectively pivotally moving the carrier means and/ or rotating the mounting means relative to the carrier means, whereby to drive the clamp means, and a central mean to effect such selection automatically according to the predetermined form of the seam line.

Advantageously, the drive means pivotally moves the carrier, or rotates the mounting means relative to the carrier, to drive the clamp means past the seamer at a substantially contsant speed.

Advantageously, the mounting means and the clamp means mounted thereon are rotatable relative to the carrier about one axis corresponding to a centre of curvature of one arcuate portion of the seam line, and the carrier means is pivotal about a spaced parallel axis corresponding to a centre of curvature of another arcuate portion of the seam line.

Preferably, the clamp means comprises a pair of opposed clamp plates (each presenting a contour which will result in a required form of seam line) to hold the superposed webs close to the seam line, the control means comprises a cam means co-acting with a cam follower associated with the drive means and formed to effect said selection according to the same required form of scam line, and the clamp plates and the cam means are removable and replaceable according to the required form of scam line.

For use in closing the toe of stockings during manufacture, the clamp means is adapted to receive a toe portion of a tubular stocking in flattened form constituting the superposed webs, and the seam line is of a required compound form. The latter may vary considerably but commonly will be a so-called fish-mouth or alternatively underfoot form.

An embodiment of feed clamp apparatus according to the invention is hereinafter described by way of example, as applied to closing the toe portion of a ladys seamless stocking along a seam line of a plurality of alternative compound forms, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the flattened tow portion of a tubular stocking and indicates a required seam line of fish-mouth form, and a corresponding contour of the clamp means;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but indicating a required seam line of underfoot form, and corresponding contour of the clamp means;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the feed clamp apparatus as comprised in stocking toe closing apparatus,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view in the direction IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is another elevational view of the feed clamp apparatus, to a larger scale;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan of a drive means of this apparatus including control cam means for the seam line of fishmouth form, and indicating the relative clamp means, and

FIG. 8 is a similar view but with control cam means and clamp means for the seam line of underfoot form.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tubular stocking 1 has a flattened toe portion 2 which may or may not be reinforced such as indicated at 2, and which is to be seamed along a compound seam line 3, or 3' starting from one edge at the point 4 or 4' along a first arcuate portion 5 or 5' or one radius R1, e.g., 9 inches with centre C1, thence along a central second arcuate portion 6 or 6 of a different radius R2, e.g., 2 inches, with centre C2 and finally along a third arcuate portion 7 or 7' again of radius R1 but centre C3 to finish the seam at the other edge at point 8 or 8. The form of seam line shown in FIG. 1 is called a fish-mouth seam, whilst the alternative form shown in FIG. 2 is called an underfoot seam. The dispositions of these alternative seam lines relative to the toe portion are quite different as shown. It will be understood that the excess material 9 beyond the seam line is removed simultaneously with the seaming. In the finished stocking as worn the seam line when of underfoot form will lie in an upright plane of the 'foot and when of fish-mouth form will lie in the plane of the foot. The flattened toe portion constitutes two superposed webs 10'.

Referring to FIG. 3, the invention concerns the feed clamp apparatus 11 comprising a pair of superposed clamp plates 12 (or 12) which are actuable to hold the flattened toe portion and drivable to carry or feed same past the fixed seamer head 13 or a seamer device 14 along a path resulting in the required form of seam line.

The seamer may be a sewing machine of known kind comprising means for simultaneously cutting of the excess material from the toe portion beyond the seam line and driven by electric motor in any known or convenient manner. The toe portion may be presented in flattened form to the clamp apparatus by a flat inspection leg 15 on which the stocking is initially mounted, the leg being reciprocable between a retracted position indicated at 15R and an advanced position at 15A. The stocking is pulled over the leg in its retracted position, the leg is then advanced between the clamp plates in open condition, the clamp plates are then closed to hold the toe portion, and the leg is then retracted leaving the toe portion thus held. Whilst the subsequent seaming is being effected, the other welt end of the stocking may be removed from the leg and located over an inner tube 16 of a pneumatic conveyor means, which has a coaxial outer tube 17 along which the welt end is drawn by suction. Upon completion of seaming and release of the toe portion from between the clamp plates, suction in the inner tube draws in the toe end of the stocking followed by the welt end so that the stocking is reverted and conveyed elsewhere for further processing. A safety bar S switches off electric power if inadvertantly touched by an operators hand or otherwise. These features follow existing practice.

The clamp apparatus comprises a vertical drive shaft 18 which extends upwards through a fiat cast top 19 of a housing 20. The shaft is suitably driven for oscillating movement through a restricted arc, for example with drive movement by a constant speed electric motor acting via an electro-magnetic clutch and return movement by spring means upon release of the drive, such drive assembly being located in the housing 20. A control cam plate 21 is removably and replaceably secured to the housing top, and presents a cam track 22 of special form which will be later described. A radial drive arm 23 is secured at one end to the drive shaft so as to be driven thereby, and an arcuate toothed rack 24 is secured to the free end of the drive arm and has a centre of curvature coincident with the axis of the drive shaft.

A pivot arm 25 is located at one end on the drive shaft so as to have free pivotal movement about the drive shaft axis, and at the other end carries a bearing and bracket assembly 26. This assembly has a bearing 27 journalling a vertical stub shaft 28 which carries at its lower end a segmental pinion 29 meshing with the rack 24. A radial arm 30 secured to the pinion 29 carries a cam follower roller 31 which moves in the cam track 22. A gear cover 25 is attached to the pivot arm 25. A clamp mounting member in the form of a yoke 32 comprises one horizontal lim-b 33 secured radially to the shaft 28, and a parallel limb 34 which presents a bearing 35 co-axial with the pinion shaft. The assembly 26 comprises a rigid bracket 36 which presents an opposed hearing 37 also co-axial with the pinion shaft. The pair of opposed lower and upper clamp plates 12L, 12U are carried by opposed lower and upper clamp holders 38, 39 which are attached to guide pins 40, 41 mounted in the respective bearings 35 and 37. Such mounting means allows axial sliding of the clamp holders and plates and rotation thereof relative to the carrier means comprising the pivot arm 25 and the bearing and bracket assembly 26.

The lower clamp holder 38 has an arm 42 parallel with the horizontal limbs of the yoke 32, and a guide rod 43 fixed to such arm depends into a bearing 44 in a bore of a vertical limb 45 of the yoke. The yoke and lower clamp holder are thus held against relative rotation whilst allowing axial sliding of such clamp holder relative to the yoke. A coil compression spring 46 is located in the yoke bore to urge upwards the rod 43 and thus the lower clamp holder and clamp plate.

A similar spring 47 is located in a housing 48 above the bearing 37 to urge downwards the upper guide pin 41 and thus the upper clamp holder and clamp plate.

Each clamp plate presents an opposed pair of locator rails 49 cooperating with grooves 50 in the respective clamp plates are easily removable and replaceable in holder engages a recess 52 in the plate, so that a pair of clamp plates are easily removable and replaceable in preset position relative to the holders. One clamp plate presents a vertical locating pin 53 engaged through a hole 54 of the other plate to hold the clamp plates against rotation relative to each other. The clamp plates each comprise a margin 55 of rubber or plastics material to grip an interposed stocking toe portion gently but firmly. This margin presents a contour which will result in a required form of seam line to hold the toe portion close to the seam line. Thus one pair of clamp plates has a contour which will produce the fish-mouth seam of FIGURE 1, and an alternative air of clamp plates has a contour which will produce the underfoot seam of FIGURE 2.

A clamp actuator means 56 comprises a pillar 57 upstanding from the housing 20 and to which are pivoted on pin 58 a pair of lower and upper horizontal levers 59, 60. At one end the levers present plates 61, 62 which engage with the clamp holders, the lower lever plate 61 engaging above a shoulder 63 of the lower clamp holder, and the upper lever plate 62 engaging beneath a shoulder 64 of the upper clamp holder. At the other end the levers carry a Bowden cable fitting 65, the cable being operable to separate the clamp holders and plates against the action of the closing springs to an open condition to receive a stocking toe portion prior to closure and to release same after completion of the seam.

FIGURES 7 and 8 shown alternative control cam plates 21 presenting different forms of cam track 22, that of FIGURE '7 being to effect the fish-mouth seam and that of FIGURE 8 to effect the underfoot seam. In FIGURE 7, the track comprises paths 66, 67, 68 and 69, 70. The paths 67 and 69 are arcuate with a centre of curvature to coincide with the axis of the drive shaft 18 although different radii of curvature. The path 68 is arcuate with a centre of curvature to coincide with the axis of the pinion shaft 28 and leads contiguously from the path 67 to the path 69. Path leads back from path 69 to path 66. The teeth of the rack 24 mesh with the pinion along an are having as centre of curvature the drive shaft axis, and a radius of curvature equal to said radius R1 of outer arcuate portions of the seam line, e.g., 9 miles. The pinion has a pitch circle radius equal to said radius R2 of the central arcuate portion of the seam line. The seamer head lies along said arc of mesh.

In FIGURE 8, the track comprises paths 66, 67, 68, 69' and 70. The paths 67', 68' and 69 are comparable to the paths '67, 68 and 69 of FIGURE 7. Path 70' leads back from path 69 to path 66. In each case a starting position of the follower is indicated at 318.

In operation, assume the apparatus is set up to form the fish-mouth seam of FIGURE 1, with the respective pair of clamp plates and control cam plate of FIGURE 7, and that a stocking has been properly positioned on the inspection leg and inspected. The Bowden cable operates to open the clamp plates as the leg is advanced and the clamp plates are opened adequately to receive the leg when the latter has been advanced to bring the flattened toe portion of the stocking between the clamp plates. Bowden cable operation then releases the clamp plates to close upon the toe portion as indicated in FIGURE 1, with excess material extending beyound the con-toured margins of the clamp plates and the required seam line. The leg is next withdrawn leaving the toe portion thus held. The welt end of the stocking can be removed from the leg to the pneumatic conveyor as explained above.

In a starting position the clamp plates are a short distance from the seamer head, and the drive arm is in one extreme position with the follower also in the starting position 31S.'Drive is now applied to the rack drive arm. The rack acts through the pinion and the follower is constrained to move first along path 66, which causes a slight clockwise rotation of the pinion and clamp plates about the pinion axis as seen in FIGURE 7, combined with a slight anti-clockwise pivoting of the carrier means including the pivot arm 25 about the drive shaft axis, such as to bring the starting point 4 of the required seam line to the seamer head. Then the follower moves along path 67 so that the pinion is held against rotation relative to the rack and carrier means and the carrier means and the clamp plates are forced to pivot anti-clockwise about the pivot shaft axis. This feeds the toe portion past the seamer head along a path of a determined radius and curvature to effect the first arcuate portion 5 of the seam. Then the follower comes to path 68 so that the pinion and clamp plates rotate anti-clockwise about the pinion aXis, whilst the carrier means including the pivot arm 25 remain stationary. This effects the second arcuate portion 6 of the seam. Finally the follower comes into path 69 so that again the pinion is held against rotation and the carrier means and the clamp plates pivot anti-clockwise about the pivot shaft axis. This completes the seam along the third arcuate portion 7, with drive arm coming to another extreme position. The drive arm is then returned to the initial extreme position, and the follower moves back along path 69, and then along path 70 to its starting position. The Bowden cable is operated to open the clamp plates to release the toe portion after seaming, and the stocking can then be carried away by the pneumatic conveyor. The excess material severed from the toe portion may also be removed by suction means. The cycle is repeated, the various operations being auto matically performed in sequence; e.g., each cycle may be started by an operator closing a start switch in an electrical control circuit of the toe closing apparatus after positioning and inspection of a stocking on the leg in retracted position.

The clamp actuator plates serve also as means to prevent curling of the excess material of the toe portion beyond the seam line as the material approaches the seamer head.

Alternative operation with the apparatus set up to form the underfoot seam of *FIGURE 2, with the respective pair of clamp plates 12 and control cam plate of FIG- URE 8, is essentially similar. However, the clamp plates have to be brought to a different appropriate starting position to receive the stocking toe portion, which is always presented to the apparatus by the leg in the same attitude, and also the clamp plates have to carry the toe portion to the seamer head so that the seam is started at the different starting point 4' of the seam, and the different disposition of seam line relative to the toe portion is then effected. Thus, from the initial extreme position of the rack drive arm and with the follower in the starting position 318, the follower is constrained to move first along path 66, with clockwise rotation of the pinion and clamp plates about the pinion axis, but with substantially no pivotal movement of the carrier means with pivot arm about the drive shaft axis. This is so that the seam is started at point 4'. Subsequent operation is similar to that already described.

In each case, the toe portion is fed past the seamer head along a sequence of paths of determined radius so that the arcuate portions of the required seam line blend smoothly one into the next, and at a substantially constant speed. The clamp means is rotated about the pinion shaft axis where this axis corresponds to the centre of curvature of the central arcuate portion of the required seam line, and is pivoted about the drive shaft axis where this axis corresponds to the centre of curvature of the auto arcuate portions of the seam line. The drive arm, rack and pinion provide a common drive means for selectively causing such rotation or pivoting about the two axes, and the control cam means effects such selection automatically according to the predetermined required form of the seam line.

The contour of the clamp plates may be identical to a required form of seam line but usually the contour departs slightly from the required seam line to take account of the stretch or compression (bunching) imparted during seaming to the toe portion of the stocking which projects from the clamp plates.

The invention concerns clamp apparatus for holding the toe portion and feeding same past the seamer. Associated toe closing apparatus comprising the seamer, reciprocating leg, pneumatic conveyor and suction means, and electrical motor and control means as mentioned may be substantially as described in United States Patent appli cation Ser. Nos. 363,141 and 378,295, now Patent No. 3,327,664.

We claim:

1. Apparatus to feed webs in superposed relationship for seaming along a line of predetermined form, comprising:

a seamer device;

clamp means actuable to hold the webs in superposed relationship and drivable to feed the superposed webs past said seamer device;

rotatable mounting means on which said clamp means is mounted;

carrier means on which said mounting means is rotatably mounted;

a common drive means for moving said carrier means and for rotating said mounting means relative to said carrier means; and

means for controlling said drive means such that said carrier means is held stationary relative to the seam line in the plane of the seam line while said drive means causes said mounting means to rotate to drive said clamp means to feed the webs past said seamer device along a path of predetermined radius corresponding to a first arcuate portion of the seam line, and such that said mounting means is held station ary relative to said carrier means about the axis of rotation of the said mounting means while said drive means causes said carrier means to move to drive said clamp means to feed said webs past said seamer device along a path corresponding to another portion of the seam line.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means rotates said mounting means relative to said carrier means, to drive said clamp means past said seamer device at a substantially constant speed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said mounting means and said clamp means mounted thereon are rotatable relative to said carrier means about one axis corresponding to a center of curvature of one arcuate portion of said seam line, and said carrier means is pivotal about a spaced parallel axis corresponding to a center of curvature of another arcuate portion of said seam line.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said clamp means comprises a pair of opposed clamp plates, each presenting a contour identical to a required form of scam line to hold the superposed webs close to the seam line; and

said control means comprises a cam follower associated with said drive means and a cam means cooperating with said cam follower and formed to effect said movement according to the required form of scam line, said clamp plates and said cam means being removable and replaceable according to the required form of scam line.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the common drive means comprises:

a drive shaft having an axis;

a radial drive arm;

means securing said arm to the shaft;

an arcuate rack;

means securing said rack to said drive arm, the drive arm having a center of curvature coincident with the axis of said drive shaft; a pinion having an axis; means securing said pinion to said clamp mounting means, said pinion meshing with said rack; and

means locating said carrier means, which rotatably carries said clamp mounting means, for pivotal movement about said drive shaft axis.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 comprising means securing said cam follower to said pinion, and wherein said cam means is in the form of a plate presenting a cam track which comprises at least one arcuate path with a center of curvature which coincides with said drive shaft axis and a contiguous arcuate path with a center of curvature which coincides with said pinion axis, said cam follower being movable in said cam track.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said cam track comprises two arcuate paths with a center of curvature which coincides with said drive shaft axis, said paths having different radii of curvature, and said arcuate path having a center of curvature which coincides with said pinion axis leading contiguously from one of said two paths to the other.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein ancuate drive movement or said rack acts through the pinion to move said cam follower in said cam track such that when said cam follower is moving in a track path centered on said drive shaft axis, said carrier means is pivotally moved to thereby move said clamp mounting means about said drive shaft axis with the pinion held against rotation relative to the rack and the carrier means, and such that when said cam follower is moving in the track path centered on said pinion axis, said pinion is rotated to thereby move said clamp mounting means about said pinion axis.

9. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said carrier means includes:

a pivot arm which is located for pivotal movement about said drive shaft axis; and

a bracket and bearing assembly rotatably mounting said clamp mounting means and pinion to said pivot arm.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein; said clamp means comprises:

a pair of opposed clamp plates;

opposed clamp holders carrying said clamp plates;

guide pins to which said clamp plates are attached;

opposed bearings mounting said guide pins co-axially relative to said pinion; and

a clamp mounting member to which one of said bearings is mounted;

said apparatus further comprising:

8 means securing said clamp mounting member to said pinion; and

a bracket and bearing assembly in said carrier means for mounting an opposed one of said bearings to allow axial sliding of said clamp holders and plates relative to said guide pins and rotation thereof relative to said carrier means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said clamp mounting member is in the form of a yoke comprising one limb, said apparatus further comprising:

a shaft which carries said pinion, said shaft being rotatably mounted to said carrier means;

means mounting said one limb radially to said shaft;

said yoke comprising another limb which holds said one guide pin bearing; means for holding said yoke and respective clamp holder against relative rotation thereof while allowing axial sliding of said clamp holder relative to the yoke; and

means for holding said clamp plates against rotation relative to each other.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said clamp means comprises:

a pair of opposed clamp plates;

opposed clamp holders carrying said clamp plates;

spring means urging said clamp holders and thus said plates together to a closed condition to hold said superposed webs; and

actuator means engaging said clamp holders to separate same and thus to separate said plates to an open condition to receive said superposed webs and to release same after completion of the seam.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said control means comprises:

a cam follower associated with said drive means; and

cam means cooperating with said cam follower and formed to effect said movement of said clamp means according to the required form of the seam line, said cam means being in the form of a plate having a cam track which comprises an arcuate path having a center of curvature which coincides with said pinion axis, and said cam follower being movable in said cam track;

said common drive means comprises:

a rack;

a pinion having an axis;

means securing said pinion to said clamp mounting means, said pinion meshing with said rack; and said apparatus comprising means securing said cam follower to said pinion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,989,015 6/1961 Taketomi 112-103 3,170,423 2/ 1965 Henebry. 3,182,616 5/1965 Cremer 112-102 XR 3,191,558 6/1965 Graves 1l21()2 XR 3,327,664 6/1967 Bryan et al. 3,351,033 11/1967 Kienel. 3,358,626 12/ 1967 Bryan.

JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

